Thin plate imaging device

ABSTRACT

A thin plate imaging device in accordance with the present invention comprises a guide light plate, at least an imaging unit, and at least a photosensitive unit; the guide light plate and the imaging unit are utilized to allow lights to conduct total internal reflection or reflection propagation in dimension, the photosensitive unit is placed in the path of the total internal reflection or reflection propagation and disposed at the image focus position of the imaging unit; clear images can be obtained without moving the imaging unit or the photosensitive unit back and forth, and objects with different object distances can be imaged on different spots of the photosensitive unit such that relative distances of the objects can be determined by image signals obtained via the photosensitive unit directly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The application claims priority from Taiwan Patent Application No.105114472 filed on May 10, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an optical imaging technique, and, moreparticularly, relates to a technique with which a guide light plate isapplied to cause total internal reflection (TIR) or reflectionpropagation of light with photosensitive units being placed in the pathof total internal reflection or reflection propagation at the imagefocus position for objects with different object distances capable ofbeing imaged on different spots of the photosensitive unit.

2. Description of Related Art

A general imaging device includes an imaging lens and a sensor. Theimaging lens is designed to be axis-symmetric with respect to an opticalaxis, and the imaging plane is flat and perpendicular to the opticalaxis. The sensor is placed on the imaging plane to receive images afterfocusing and output image signals. For instance, Taiwan Patent No.1525346 discloses an optical imaging system with extended depth of focusor Taiwan Patent No. 1429943 discloses an optical imaging lens system.

With the aforesaid optical imaging systems, objects disposed withdifferent distances are imaged at different back focus positions withthat the lens or the sensor has to be moved back and forth in order toobtain clear images, and the distances are figured out indirectly viamoving distances done by the actuator; the objects with differentdistances corresponding to the imaging lens are incapable of beingimaged on different spots of the sensor. Besides, the lens is restrictedwith the scene depth such that, in most of the situation, it is unableto obtain the correct positions of the objects through the imageclarity. Therefore, the distances of the objects corresponding to theimaging lens cannot be determined directly based on the image signalssensed by the sensor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to improve deficiencies of the conventional optical imagingtechnique with which the distances of the objects corresponding to theimaging lens cannot be determined directly with the image signals sensedby the sensor, the present invention is proposed.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a thin plateimaging device with which a guide light plate, at least an imaging unitand at least an photosensitive unit are utilized to cause the light toconduct the total internal reflection (TIR) or reflection propagation inone dimension; the photosensitive unit is disposed in the path of thetotal internal reflection or the reflection propagation and located atthe image focus position of the imaging unit, and objects with differentobject distances can be imaged on different spots of the photosensitiveunit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a thin plateimaging device which has the imaging unit be joined to the guide lightplate with flat design in one dimension and maintaining an focus imagingfunction in another dimension; it is not necessary for thephotosensitive unit being perpendicular to the optical axis, instead, itcan be flatly adhered to the guide light plate and parallel to theoptical axis; after the light entering the imaging unit, a refractive orreflective imaging light path is formed in one dimension and a totalinternal reflection or reflection propagation in another dimension tofocus and image on the photosensitive unit ultimately for objects withdifferent object distances being imaged on different spots of thephotosensitive unit with image signals taken via the photosensitive unitbeing capable of determining relative distances of the objects directly.

A further object of the present invention is provide a thin plateimaging device with which clear images can be obtained without movingthe lens or the sensor back and forth.

The thin plate imaging device according to the present inventioncomprises:

a guide light plate at least having an end surface;

at least an imaging unit; and

at least a photosensitive unit disposed at a side corresponding to theend surface of the guide light plate;

wherein the imaging unit allows lights to cause total internalreflection or reflection propagation in one dimension, thephotosensitive unit is placed in a path of the total internal reflectionor reflection propagation and disposed at an image focus position of theimaging unit to image objects with different object distances ondifferent spots of the photosensitive unit.

According to the present invention, the photosensitive unit of the thinplate imaging device is joined to an end surface of the guide lightplate.

According to the present invention, the thin plate imaging furthercomprises at least a reflection lens; the photosensitive unit is joinedto the reflection lens; an end surface of the guide light plate isprovided with a function of light reflection and parallel to thereflection lens and the photosensitive unit respectively; the imagingunit is near the guide light plate; the photosensitive unit provides apartially reflective transparent membrane corresponding to an endsurface of the guide light plate; light emitted or reflected by anobject is guided into the guide light plate to conduct reflectionpropagation between the guide light plate and the reflection lens afterbeing focus-imaged by the imaging unit so as to image on thephotosensitive unit.

According the present invention, the imaging unit of the thin plateimaging device is joined to the guide light plate; light emitted orreflected by an object is guided into the guide light plate to conductthe total internal reflection or reflection propagation andimaging-focused by the imaging unit to image on the photosensitive unit.

According to the present invention, the imaging unit of the thin plateimaging device is near the guide light plate; light emitted or reflectedby an object is focused by the imaging unit and guided into the guidelight plate to conduct the total internal reflection or reflectionpropagation and image on the photosensitive unit.

According to the present invention, the imaging unit of the thin plateimaging device is integrated with the guide light plate as a singlepiece.

According the present invention, the imaging unit of the thin plateimaging device comprises a first imaging unit and a second imaging unit;the light emitted or reflected by the object is guided into the guidelight plate to conduct the total internal reflective or reflectivepropagation and focus-image on the photosensitive unit via the firstimaging unit and the second imaging unit sequentially; the secondimaging unit is a curved reflective imaging surface.

According to the present invention, at least an imaging unit of the thinplate imaging device is a curved reflective imaging surface; the lightguided into the guide light plate to conduct the total internalreflection or reflection propagation and focus-image on thephotosensitive unit via the curved reflective imaging surface.

According to the present invention, the guide light plate of the thinplate imaging device is a flat plate; at least an imaging unit is axissymmetrical or asymmetrical.

According to the present invention, the thin plate imaging furthercomprises a microprocessor; the microprocessor electrically connectswith at least a photosensitive unit to process image signals output bythe photosensitive unit; different cross-section images of an object aretaken via a relative motion done with the object so as to obtain anentire image of the object through the microprocessor processing andcombining the distance of the relative motion and the differentcross-section images.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a side view of a thin plate touchdevice in accordance with the first embodiment of the present inventionillustrating a travel path of light moving therein.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a top view of a thin plate touch devicein accordance with the first embodiment of the present inventionillustrating a travel path of light moving therein.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a side view of a thin plate touchdevice in accordance with the second embodiment of the present inventionillustrating a travel path of light moving therein.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a top view of a thin plate touch devicein accordance with the second embodiment of the present inventionillustrating a travel path of light moving therein.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a top view of a thin plate touch devicein accordance with the third embodiment of the present inventionillustrating a travel path of light moving therein.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a top view of a thin plate touch devicein accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present inventionillustrating a travel path of light moving therein.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a side view of a thin plate touchdevice in accordance with the fifth embodiment of the present inventionillustrating a travel path of light moving therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a thin plate imaging device 1 according tothe first embodiment of the present invention comprises a guide lightplate 11, at least an imaging unit 21 and at least a photosensitive unit30. The guide light plate 11 has two parallel end surfaces 111, 11. Theimaging unit 21 is joined to the guide light plate 11 integrally as asingle piece. The imaging unit 21 is an imaging lens. The photosensitiveunit 30 is joined to the guide light plate 11 and attached to one of theend surfaces 111.

When a first object 41 and a second object 42 emit or reflect lights 51,52 respectively, the lights 51, 52 are guided to a first image focusposition 61 and a second image focus position 62 corresponding to thefirst object 41 and the second object 42 respectively via the guidelight plate 11 and the imaging unit 21 as shown in FIG. 1; a firstsensing zone 31 and a second sensing zone 32 in the photosensitive unit30 sense images corresponding to the first object 41 and the secondobject 42 as shown in FIG. 2; the first object 41 and the second object42, which are disposed with different object distances, can be imaged ondifferent spots of the photosensitive unit 30.

The lights 51, 52 in the present embodiment conduct total reflection orreflection propagation between the two end surfaces 111; the imagingunit 21 and the photosensitive unit 30 are placed in the totalreflection or reflection path of the lights 51, 52 with thephotosensitive unit 30 being parallel to one of the end surfaces 111 ofthe guide light plate 11 and located at an image focus position of theimaging unit 21; Hence, the imaging unit 21 is capable of focusing andimaging the lights 51, 52 on the photosensitive unit 30.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a thin plate imaging device 2 according tothe second embodiment of the present invention comprises a guide lightplate 12, at least an imaging unit 22 and at least a photosensitive unit30. The guide light plate 12 has two parallel end surfaces 121, 121. Theimaging unit 22 is disposed near the guide light plate 12. The imagingunit 22 is an imaging lens. The photosensitive unit 30 is joined to theguide light plate 12 and attached to one of the end surfaces 121.

When a first object 41 and a second object 42 emit or reflect lights 51,52 respectively, the lights 51, 52 are focused by the imaging unit 22,guided to a first image focus position 61 and a second image focusposition 62 corresponding to the first object 41 and the second object42 respectively via the guide light plate 12 as shown in FIG. 3; a firstsensing zone 31 and a second sensing zone 32 in the photosensitive unit30 sense images corresponding to the first object 41 and the secondobject 42 as shown in FIG. 4; the first object 41 and the second object42, which are disposed with different object distances, can be imaged ondifferent spots of the photosensitive unit 30.

The lights 51, 52 in the present embodiment are focused by the imagingunit 22, then enter the guide light plate 12, and cause total reflectionor reflection propagation between the two end surfaces 121; thephotosensitive unit 30 is placed in the path of the total reflection orreflection propagation of the lights 51, 52 and disposed at an imagefocus position of the imaging unit 22; hence, the lights 51, 52 can befocused by the imaging unit 22, conduct total reflection or reflectionpropagation between the two end surfaces 121, 121 of the guide lightplate 12, and imaged on the photosensitive unit 30.

Referring to FIG. 5, a thin plate imaging device 3 according to thethird embodiment of the present invention comprises a guide light plate13, a first imaging unit 23, a second imaging unit 24 and at least aphotosensitive unit 30. The guide light plate 13 is a flat plate withtwo parallel end surfaces similar to the guide light plate 11 shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. The first imaging unit 23 and the second imaging unit 24are joined to the guide light plate 13 as an integral piece. Thephotosensitive unit 30 is joined to the guide light plate 13 andattached to one of the end surfaces.

When a first object 41 and a second object 42 emit or reflect lights 51,52 respectively, the lights 51, 52 are guided to a first image focusposition and a second image focus position corresponding to the firstobject 41 and the second object 42 respectively via the guide lightplate 13, the first imaging unit 23 and the second imaging unit 24; afirst sensing zone 31 and a second sensing zone 32 of the photosensitiveunit 30 sense images corresponding to the first object 41 and the secondobject 42 as shown in FIG. 5; the first object 41 and the second object42, which are disposed with different object distances, can be imaged ondifferent spots of the photosensitive unit 30.

The lights 51, 52 in the present embodiment conduct total reflection orreflection propagation between the two end surfaces of the guide lightplates 13; the first imaging unit 23, the second imaging unit 24 and thephotosensitive unit 30 are placed in the total reflection or reflectionpropagation path of the lights 51, 52 with the photosensitive unit 30being located at an image focus position of the first imaging unit 23and an image focus position of the second imaging unit 24; hence, thelights 51,52, which are guided into the guide light plate 13 to conductthe total reflection or reflection propagation, are focus-imaged on thephotosensitive unit 30 via the first imaging unit 23 and the secondimaging unit 24 sequentially; the first imaging unit 23 is an imaginglens; the second imaging unit 24 is a curved reflective imaging surface.

Referring to FIG. 6, a thin plate imaging device 4 according to thefourth embodiment of the present invention comprises a guide light plate14, an imaging unit 25 and at least a photosensitive unit 30. The guidelight plate 14 is a flat plate with two parallel end surfaces almost thesame shape as the guide light plate 11 shown in FIG. 1. The imaging unit25 is joined to the guide light plate 14 as an integral piece. Thephotosensitive unit 30 is joined to the guide light plate 13 andattached to one of the end surfaces.

When a first object 41 and a second object 42 emit or reflect lights 51,52 respectively, the lights 51, 52 are guided to a first image focusposition and a second image focus position corresponding to the firstobject 41 and the second object 42 respectively via the guide lightplate 14 and the imaging unit 25; a first sensing zone 31 and a secondsensing zone 32 in the photosensitive unit 30 sense images correspondingto the first object 41 and the second object 42 as shown in FIG. 6; thefirst object 41 and the second object 42, which are disposed withdifferent object distances, can be imaged on different spots in thephotosensitive unit 30.

The lights 51, 52 in the present embodiment conduct total reflective orreflective propagation between the two end surfaces; the imaging unit 25and the photosensitive unit 30 are placed in the total reflection orreflection propagation path of the lights 51, 52 with the photosensitiveunit 30 being located at an image focus position of the imaging unit 25;hence, the lights 51,52, which are guided into the guide light plate 15to conduct the total reflection or reflection propagation, arefocus-imaged on the photosensitive unit 30 via the imaging unit 25. Theimaging unit 25 is a curved reflective imaging surface.

Referring to FIG. 7, a thin plate imaging device 5 according to thefifth embodiment of the present invention comprises a guide light plate15, an imaging unit 26, at least a photosensitive unit 30 and areflection lens 71. The photosensitive unit 30 is joined to thereflection lens 71 and disposed at a position corresponding to an imagefocus position of the imaging unit 26; the guide light plate 15 has afunction of light reflection at an end surface 151 and is parallel toreflection lens 71 and the photosensitive unit 30 respectively; theimaging unit 26 is near to the guide light plate 15; the photosensitiveunit 30 provides a partially reflective transparent membrane 33 toreflect part of the light shooting the photosensitive unit 30. Theimaging unit 26 is an imaging lens.

When a first object 41 and a second object 42 emit or reflect lights 51,52 respectively, the lights 51, 52 are focused by the imaging unit 26before being guided between the guide light plate 15 and thephotosensitive unit 30 with the reflection lens 71 to conduct reflectionpropagation, then guided to a first image focus position 61 and a secondimage focus position 62 corresponding to the first object 41 and thesecond object 42 respectively before being imaged on the photosensitiveunit 30; the first object 41 and the second object 42, which aredisposed with different object distances, can be imaged on differentspots of the photosensitive unit 30.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7 again, the respective thin plate imagingdevices 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the first to fifth embodiments inaccordance with the present invention further comprise a microprocessor80 respectively; the microprocessor 80 electrically connects with thephotosensitive unit 30 to process image signals output by thephotosensitive unit 30.

The thin plate imaging device in accordance with the present inventionis capable of taking an image of a cross-section of an object; Further,it is capable of taking images of different cross-sections of an objectif the object moves relative to the thin plate imaging device of thepresent invention; Moreover, the entire image of the object can be takenby the thin plate imaging device via the microprocessor processing andcombining distances with respect to the relative motion and combinationof the different cross-section images.

The thin plate imaging device of the present invention has the guidelight plate and the imaging unit to allow the light to conduct the totalinternal reflection or reflection propagation in one dimension; thephotosensitive unit is disposed in the path of the total internalreflection or the reflection propagation and located at the image focusposition such that clear images can be obtained without moving theimaging unit or the photosensitive unit back and forth, and objects withdifferent object distances can be imaged on different spots of thephotosensitive unit; hence, image signals obtained via thephotosensitive unit can be utilized to determine relative distances ofthe objects directly.

The thin plate imaging device of the present invention is designed tohave the imaging unit joined to the guide light plate being flat in onedimension and maintaining a focus imaging function in another dimension;it is not necessary for the photosensitive unit being perpendicular tothe optical axis, instead, it can be flatly adhered to the guide lightplate and parallel to the optical axis; after the light entering theimaging unit, a refractive or reflective imaging light path is formed inone dimension and a total internal reflection or reflection propagationin another dimension to focus-image on the photosensitive unitultimately for objects with different object distances being capable ofbeing imaged on different spots in the photosensitive unit such thatimage signals taken via the photosensitive unit can be utilized todetermine relative distances of the objects directly to improvedeficiency of the prior art of the optical imaging technique with whichit is impossible to determine distances of the objects corresponding tothe imaging lens directly via the image signals of the sensor.

Although the invention has been described in relation to its preferredembodiments, it is to be understood that many other possiblemodifications and variations can be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A thin plate imaging device, comprising: a guidelight plate at least having an end surface; at least an imaging unitdisposed near the guide light plate; and at least a photosensitive unitjoined to the guide light plate and attached to said end surface;wherein said imaging unit is capable of focusing and guiding lights fromobjects with different object distances to conduct total internalreflection or reflection propagation in one dimension in the guide lightplate and provide image focus positions in the guide light platecorresponding to the objects, said photosensitive unit is placed in apath of the total internal reflection or reflection propagation anddisposed at the image focus positions of said imaging unit to allow theobjects to be imaged on different spots of said photosensitive unit. 2.The thin plate imaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein the lightsare emitted from or reflected by the objects and focused and guided intosaid guide light plate by said imaging unit to conduct the totalinternal reflective or reflective propagation such that the objects areimaged on the different spots of said photosensitive unit.
 3. The thinplate imaging device as defined in claim 2 further comprises amicroprocessor; said microprocessor electrically connects with saidphotosensitive unit to process image signals output by saidphotosensitive unit; images of different cross-sections of each of saidobjects are taken with respect to relative motion of the respectiveobject so as to obtain an entire image of the respective object throughsaid microprocessor combining and processing a distance of the relativemotion and the images of the different cross-sections.
 4. The thin plateimaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide light plate isa flat plate; said imaging unit is axis symmetrical or asymmetrical. 5.The thin plate imaging device as defined in claim 4 further comprises amicroprocessor; said microprocessor electrically connects with saidphotosensitive unit to process image signals output by saidphotosensitive unit; images of different cross-sections of each of saidobjects are taken with respect to relative motion of the respectiveobject so as to obtain an entire image of the respective object throughsaid microprocessor combining and processing a distance of the relativemotion and the images of the different cross-sections.
 6. The thin plateimaging device as defined in claim 1 further comprises a microprocessor;said microprocessor electrically connects with said photosensitive unitto process image signals output by said photosensitive unit; images ofdifferent cross-sections of each of said objects are taken with respectto relative motion of the respective object so as to obtain an entireimage of the respective object through said microprocessor combining andprocessing a distance of the relative motion and the images of thedifferent cross-sections.